The Yellow Numbers' work efficiency is astonishingly high. I entrusted them with the task of restoring the devastated terrain to its original state.
Geld, who was frustrated for not being able to help in the battle, gladly accepted the task.
He immediately got to work.
I also asked him to recover the magic steel tunnel that we had built, which had been of no help. Magic steel is useful in many ways, so it would be a waste to leave it as is.
While giving these instructions, I recalled something.
Right, I had forgotten something important.
"Ah... Veldora, I forgot..."
The moment I muttered this, the movements of the officers present came to a halt.
They exchanged glances, consulting each other with their eyes on how to proceed.
The holy knights looked at us with a puzzled expression, but we had no time to worry about them.
Now, what should we do...
When I glanced at them, the officers turned their heads away in unison.
How reliable, my subordinates! I can tell they all dislike it, as if it were a tangible thing.
But... I can't tell the kid who has been eagerly waiting for Veldora to come out, "Ah, it's over, it's okay!" I just can't say it.
He might go ballistic.
There's no other way.
"I have no choice. I'll go and explain. You guys, go back and rest for a while.
Holy knights, please take a break in the bath.
Some of you have tattered clothes, so you'll need to change as well..."
When I said this, the holy knights looked puzzled.
Well, the custom of bathing exists in the Inglishia Kingdom, so they shouldn't be unfamiliar with it...
But it might be hard to imagine monsters using a bath.
Heh, let them be surprised! Because, to my pride, the baths in this country are better made than those in the imperial capital.
It will be good publicity and help them relax.
The next step is to change clothes. Some of those who fought against Ranga are left with only their underwear.
For the sake of promoting our country, I'll prepare some newly developed magic steel jinbei.
There will also be yukatas for the women, with a variety of choices.
Their armor can be retrieved once their energy is restored, but for now, it's impossible. They can't stay like this.
Looking around, I see that Shion isn't wearing her armor either. She seems to be using her own power to summon clothes.
They must have had a tough battle with the holy knights.
Those who can't walk on their own will be carried by Ranga and the subordinate holy knights.
I entrusted the holy knights to Hakuro and asked Souei to pass a message to Rigurd.
Rigurd will surely prepare the baths and change of clothes. It might feel like a feast, but it's not a problem. We've been expanding the baths recently anyway.
That's right. After an incident, there's a feast.
This custom can be seen everywhere.
Thinking about this, I left the scene.
Behind me, Veldora, enraged by my story, went berserk, blowing up the tunnel and emerging on the surface.
Soaring high in the sky, he was seen hovering above, targeting the exhausted holy knights.
Thanks to his resurrection and the release of mana in his dragon form, his anger was somewhat suppressed.
Fortunately, his anger subsided before he attacked the holy knights.
Basically, this uncle (though he's not really an uncle) just wants to go berserk. If we don't let him vent his stress, it's dangerous.
As a future task, we might need to prepare a place where Veldora can go berserk.
For us, it was a heartwarming anecdote...
But for the holy knights who attacked, it was a nightmare.
They were exhausted, and then a nightmare-like existence appeared from the sky.
"Wh-What the... Veldora!!"
"Boil, boil, boil, boil!!"
They say they showed various amusing reactions.
I would have liked to see it, but it would have been too pitiful.
Well, if they never think of baring their fangs in this country again, it was the best timing for him to appear.
I wondered if this incident was also part of Raphael's plan, but surely that's not the case.
There's no way he could have predicted it to that extent. It's an overestimation.
Thinking about the battle with Hinata, which went exactly as Raphael had planned, I inadvertently thought such things.
Anyway, the battle with the holy knights ended in a complete victory.
??????????????????????????
Returning to the village, the holy knights went to the bath.
As usual, Rigurd was running around, preparing the meal.
Thanks to Souei's quick message, we didn't need to rush, but that's just his personality.
He didn't forget to check if there were any ingredients they couldn't eat for religious reasons, and his efforts are commendable.
He must have learned about human culture and ways of thinking from dealing with various adventurers and merchants.
Rigur, after handing over the guard captain position to Gobta, is now training under his father Rigurd. He's becoming a good successor, isn't he?
No one would believe that he was originally a weak goblin.
The venue is the banquet hall.
With so many banquets, I ordered them to prepare it. It's a newly built, fresh building.
It looks like a large circular dome, similar to a gymnasium.
Inside, a vast space with a wooden floor spreads out, and tatami mats are laid in the VIP area.
It can accommodate a considerable number of people, serving as a shelter in case of an emergency.
There's plenty of space, so it's a sturdy and large building.
The frame is made of steel, but I expect it to transform into "magic steel" soon. In that sense, our country is very advantageous.
While thinking about this, the food was brought to the table.
It's quite a labor-intensive dish, like something from a high-class restaurant.
When I showed the children how to bake snacks by kneading clay when I was bored, it became the starting point.
Each household uses the snacks made by the children.
Now, they can make them quite beautifully.
They paint them with the juice of herbs or attach something mysterious, creating items with vivid colors and high completion.
It's worth trying.
The dishes being served are also unique, with intricate carvings.
They are made from leftover processed wood.
Looking at it, from the hot springs to the tableware, all reflect my hobbies.
Compared to when I was eating grass, it's unimaginable how comfortable life has become.
I can now enjoy the taste, thanks to various efforts.
Today's dish is fried food. It's excellent.
Perfect in appearance and taste. It's Shuna's work, not Shion's.
Shion struggles with appearance, and no matter what cooking skills she has, she can't be trusted with everyone's meals.
I showed Shuna my memories, and she developed each dish one by one.
It was a lot of work for her, but thanks to the vague memories from the mental link, she was able to recreate them.
There were many delicious dishes in the Inglishia Kingdom, but no Japanese-style dishes.
Recreating Japanese cuisine, even if there are Japanese "transmigrants," is not something that can be done overnight.
It was a lot of work.
To make something similar to katsuobushi, we even went to the sea to catch a large number of fish.
Thanks to the spatial transfer, we could maintain freshness and transport various ingredients.
Food is the pinnacle of culture.
A culture without a rich food culture is meaningless to me.
Among the necessities of life, I believe food is the most important. But that's just my opinion.
For that reason, I put a lot of effort into developing various dishes.
The current challenge is white rice. Barley was relatively easy to obtain.
I've seen white rice in the imperial capital, so it's relatively easy to recreate here.
The problem is rice.
I don't think it's non-existent. I found it through my enthusiasm.
However, compared to the Japanese rice that has been selectively bred for a long time, it's inferior in taste.
Of course, it's not that simple.
Currently, we are selectively breeding it.
Actually, there is a solution. When I asked Raphael if there was a good method, he easily provided an answer.
The method is to improve the breed through the results of Shion's "Cook" skill.
However, I don't think such a method will take root.
Therefore, I made a small amount (mainly for my own consumption) of white rice using my own abilities.
I didn't want to get Shion too excited, so I prepared it secretly.
I gave it to Shuna, and it was used in the holy knights' meal.
This time, it's special. The purpose is to show the usefulness of our country and provide a good experience.
Carrot and stick. After a harsh punishment, if you treat them kindly, they might come around.
I don't think the holy knights are that simple, but I believe it's a classic and effective approach.
Well, the white rice is my stubbornness, so it might not taste good to the holy knights.
Fried food is universally delicious, I think. It was well-received by adventurers and merchants.
Additionally, we tried an experiment of growing rice with monster manure.
Black rice, like squid ink, was produced. It's quite tasty, but the preconception makes it seem unappetizing. Moreover, it's toxic to humans.
We named it "monster rice," and it's surprisingly nutritious (for monsters).
It has become a staple food in Tempest.
It's rare, but it can withstand high concentrations of mana.
While thinking about this, the table setting was completed, and we were waiting for the holy knights to come out of the bath.
...
...
...
The holy knights came out of the bath, wearing the prepared yukatas and jinbei, and headed to the banquet hall.
Although they were unfamiliar with the clothes, they seemed to like them once they experienced the comfort.
Well, they are as comfortable as churin, making them ideal for daily wear and indoor use.
They were led to their seats, and the goblin girls guiding them were relaxed and natural in their movements. They were surprisingly accustomed to it.
This must be surprising to the holy knights, as their movements seemed a bit stiff.
When the goblin girl guiding them bowed and left, Hinata looked at me with a determined expression.
"For this incident, I sincerely apologize for the trouble I caused you.
I don't expect you to forgive me just for my actions, but please be lenient with my subordinates..."
Saying this, she knelt before me and bowed her head.
Then, I saw it. Her yukata was slightly open, revealing her gentle curves.
Dangerous, my adventurous spirit is rising. To be honest, something (it) is starting to rise, which is regrettable.
But, what can I do? Men are creatures who never forget their adventurous spirit!
I'm glad I don't have a nose that bleeds!
But, a yukata. Incredible, this is. It has tremendous destructive power.
A yukata on a woman who has just bathed, this is the strongest.
If the woman is as beautiful as Hinata, the effect is terrifying.
I lost... I lost. It's a complete defeat.
Now, I feel like I can forgive everything.
To me,
"Rimuru-sama, what are you looking at?"
Shuna asked with a smile, but her voice was as cold as ice.
Why? Why did she notice?!
"No, no, I'm not looking at anything.
More importantly, Hinata...
If you want to apologize, do it to Shion and the Revenants.
They are the victims."
Saying this, I pointed in the direction of Shion and the Revenants.
I have no intention of covering it up.
Shion was surprised and stiffened, seemingly not expecting to be called out.
To Shion and the Revenants,
"I'm sorry.
I firmly believed that monsters were evil.
I thought they were enemies who would take everything if you let your guard down, and that communication was impossible...
Please forgive me..."
Saying this, Hinata bowed deeply.
The other holy knights, taken aback by her actions, followed suit.
They all apologized in unison, "I'm sorry!"
Shion seemed shaken and acted suspiciously.
"Shion, forgive me. I understand your pain and anger.
But not all humans are evil.
I want you to know that humans can overcome their mistakes.
Please watch carefully. There are noble souls among them."
Hearing this, Shion seemed even more lost.
To her, humans are evil.
But I wanted her to understand that not all humans are like that.
Her hesitation was brief.
Shion, with a determined look,
"I understand! I will judge by the soul, whether they are good or bad!"
Saying this, she smiled at me.
Her expression seemed relieved, as if she had overcome a great sin.
The Revenants also joined in, saying they forgave.
They are kind-hearted. They are my proud comrades.
Accepting the apology, we let bygones be bygones.
The boundary of what can be forgiven is difficult, but I think we can reconcile this time.
If we can communicate, we can recognize each other's thoughts.
Thus, a reconciliation was established.
Now, it's no fun if it's damp.
The food will lose its taste if it gets cold.
Most importantly, I can't keep Veldora, who couldn't go berserk, waiting any longer, or he'll get upset.
Veldora, who has a body created from my own, also eats.
He doesn't need to eat like me, but he seems shocked by the taste of the food.
He talks more about food than I expected.
For this reason, the drinking party began.
Cold beer after a bath.
Of course, it was prepared. A secret weapon of our country.
Nothing is missing.
In the Inglishia Kingdom, wine was the main drink.
There was beer, but it wasn't very tasty. The carbonation was weak.
Warm beer is also a factor in bad taste.
For this reason, of course, we improved it.
I can't compromise on food.
If I say, "I want it this way!" the research starts immediately. It's scary, but it's my doing.
Am I a demon king because of this? Even if I wasn't, I think I had this feeling from the beginning.
Whatever.
Thanks to the cooperative efforts of the monsters in Tempest, we have a variety of drinks.
Wine is imported, beer is domestic.
And potato and barley shochu.
With so many banquets, it's inevitable. Thanks to the loyal development, the food in this country is really delicious.
This is also a drinking party, but it will definitely turn into a feast.
I can confidently predict this without even asking Raphael.
And, of course, the prediction came true.
The holy knights were moved by the taste of the food. Sashimi from freshly processed fish was also prepared.
We couldn't recreate soy sauce, but we used a similar seasoning.
It's a bit lacking, but Shuna is currently developing it. A perfect version will be made soon.
A holy knight, interested in the monster rice the monsters were eating, took a bite and screamed.
"This, this! It restores mana!!?"
Huh? It's not the kind of scream I was thinking of.
I thought it was toxic to humans, but maybe it's medicinal for those with some mana?
More likely, their mana was almost depleted from the intense battle, so it had an effect.
Thinking about this, another holy knight wanted to try the monster rice.
I had no choice but to prepare it for everyone.
I prepared my special white rice, but the black rice (monster rice) was more popular...
Well, it's just the appearance. It tastes good. Someone without preconceptions might easily accept it.
They were shocked by the fried food and sashimi, and the monster rice can also restore mana... This is a good opportunity to promote our country.
Most importantly, the monsters and holy knights were seen talking amicably in various places.
It was a good trend.
Thanks to the alcohol, this scene might naturally lead to better relations.
Enjoying delicious food and having fun days.
That's the purpose, and they work hard for it.
I will protect this scene in the future. That's my job.
It was a moment of renewed resolve.
...
...
...
With the alcohol flowing, everyone was in a good mood.
Alno, a man who was said to be the second strongest after Hinata among the holy knights,
"By the way, Rimuru-san. Who is the strongest in this country?"
spoke, dropping a huge bomb.
Of course, excluding me and Veldora...
The monsters tensed up at this question.
To Alno, it might have been a casual comment, but for the monsters, it was different.
There might be some trivial ranking disputes in unknown places, and the power dynamics are a taboo that shouldn't be touched.
Moreover, if it's a taboo, it might leave a seed of discord.
At that moment, I was drunk, even though I wasn't really.
Veldora and I irresponsibly and thoughtlessly said,
"Kuhahahaha! That's something you can figure out by fighting!"
"Is that so? Don't argue. How about holding a martial arts tournament?"
saying...
I wasn't drunk, but I was carried away by the atmosphere.
It was a problematic statement, even without much thought.
However, the moment "martial arts tournament" was mentioned, the eyes of Benimaru and everyone else changed.
The atmosphere suddenly shifted, becoming serious.